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Tag Archives: Judges

The Generation That Did Not Know

24 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

history, Judges, learning, moral compass

Every generation that comes into the world needs to learn its own history. This is not only fruitful to the mind in the way of intellectual knowledge, this is also beneficial to the mind in that it sets the compass directional finder in place.

Learning history stimulates the mind in areas that generates interest. For instance, one might have learned that Abraham Lincoln was murdered by southern sympathizer John W. Booth, but is there much knowledge about Booth’s escape and then capture? Not nearly as much, but one can learn and note there was no peace for him in his running, and there was certainly no peace for him in the way that he died.

Learning history is important when it comes to biblical matters also. In Judges 2:10, the Scriptures teach there arose a new generation of Israelites that did not know the Lord the way the previous generation did and neither did they know the deed or works that were done by the Lord. A tragedy of no small amount!

The tragedy was the result of two things (I suggest). First, it was the result of parental guidance, or the failure thereof. Education must always start in the home. If there is no foundational education put in place by the parents, then the education put in place—for it will be put in place—will come from an outside source that may not at all correspond to the parent’s way of thinking. Second, because of the failings in parents, it was the result of the student (child) who took her/his education from another source, having no interest in his or her heritage. Perhaps a third reason for this kind of tragedy is in the teacher and/or the teaching of those who are in position of leadership within the community.

The community that I want to address in this brief article is the church.

Each generation must be taught, actively taught, the ways of the Lord. Without learning from the parents, without learning from elders and the preacher, it is very possible that when teaching does occur, as it is stated in Judges 2:17, “Yet they did not listen to their Judges [religious teachers], for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD, and they did not do so.” (ESV)

Those who refused to listen to the Lord end up forsaking the Lord’s way entirely. The word “forsake” means to abandon what is viewed as precious by the Lord. Thus, the compass directional finder that was once in place has now begun to corrode and it is but a little time following the compass no longer works. When the compass no longer works, then the one who was living by it will do what? In Acts 27:15, there is a phrase that represents a literal occurrence in the life of the apostle Paul while on a ship to Rome, but the wording corresponds to a spiritual journey for those who lose their way. “And when the ship was caught and could not face the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along.”

Some of the things that need to be taught young people (and older folk also) would be the historicity of Jesus, salvation from sin, the nature and importance of the Lord’s church, the day of judgment that is before us all. these are but a few very important points of teaching.

Each generation needs to be taught the Lord’s way; the vacation Bible school activities are very important for a local congregation, but it is even greater for the parents and the local church to be sure that teaching of the Lord’s way is a regular occurrence and not just during a small time in the summer months. RT

 

No Love in Your Feet

12 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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evangelism, Judges, love

The local church is a body of individual believers. Those who have been baptized into the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of sins stand in a saving relationship with the Lord God. This saving relationship is a relationship that one is NOT to keep to him or herself, but is to take into the world and teach it to others. The reason for this is obvious.

On the other hand, there are those who will allow that relationship to die with them; they simply won’t take this message to others because, for one reason or another, they don’t want to. It can be said that those who express love to the Lord and refuse to do this have more love in their minds than in their feet and actions! The Scripture speaks to those who have a disconnected love like this…..

In the book of Judges, there was a generation who loved the Lord greatly, demonstrating this love in many ways, but one among them was in teaching the following generation the importance of love and obedience to the Lord. The third generation, however, never got the same message. Perhaps it was because they were not taught; maybe it was because they were taught but they did not allow the teaching to take root. Whatever it was, the Scripture says, they chose “not to know the Lord” (Judges 2:10). I suspect there is little doubt that some made a conscious choice to refuse the Lord’s way, but knowing the nature of people (and it really changes not), the likelihood of the older generation not teaching the younger generation like they should have been taught, that is, the love and severity of the Lord is even greater.

This is a constant reminder to each of us in this current generation. If we do not teach, and by teach I mean, if we do not take the time to inculcate the youth with the love and severity of the Lord, then the servants of Satan will gather hold of them quickly. Let us the love of God in our minds connect to the love of God in a feet and let us be a people of action, work, and teaching. RT

 

Isn’t that what love does?

07 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by Ron Thomas in Leadership, Relationship

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

betrayal, Delilah, Judges, love, Samson

Each time I read the historical story associated with Samson I can’t help but reflect on his stupidity! Whatever is to be said about Delilah, or any other person in Judges 13-16, it’s Samson who plays with fires and gets burned. As much as I marvel at Samson, I learn that what plagued a people then plagues us as well: a failure to understand what love is and does. Delilah sold her dignity and defined her actions as “love” toward Samson, but Samson didn’t have the wisdom to see that she was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He didn’t see it because he evidently thought that “love” would not betray him. When example after example presented itself he dismissed it because God, he thought, loved him and would not leave him. A misunderstanding of love results in a misapplication of the same. Love does not manipulate, does not betray, and will not suffer fools. Love will, however, instruct, persuade, hold in confidence, and correct the foolish. God did.

Gideon

31 Tuesday Dec 2013

Posted by Ron Thomas in Leadership

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Gideon, Judges

                Can you imagine being in Gideon’s spot when the Lord called upon him to deliver Israel from the oppressive circumstances placed on Israel? Gideon couldn’t imagine it either. Consequently, he respectively puts the Lord to four tests; the Lord “passed” them. Then, when it was time for Gideon to get a move on, the Lord put him to His own tests in two areas: faith and courage.

                Gideon was prepared to serve the Lord with an army of 30,000 men, but the Lord pared that down to 1% of that number, or 300 men. With those 300 men he was to defeat a force of 135,000 men (Judges 8:10)! The numerical odds were greatly stacked against him, but with the Lord on one’s side, how could such an army stand a prayer! It was not Gideon who won the victory, but the Lord who used Gideon to serve a greater purpose.

When we are tested in our faith and courage, exactly how do we respond? Maybe we have the courage to tackle what needs to be met head on, but do we have the faith that the Lord will bring victory? Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, NKJV). RT

Wisdom refused

25 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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Judges, Samson, wisdom, women

The Lord raised up Samson to begin to deliver Israel from Philistine bondage, but Samson’s tactic were his own. Because he used poor judgment, four Philistine women played significant roles in Samson’s life; it was the fourth that brought him to his knees. Many men love bravado, and there is something about two roosters posturing themselves for the showdown; a cunning female, however, can bring a man down much quicker than a jousting match. “Samson, when strong and brave, strangled a lion; but he could not strangle his own love. He burst the fetters of his foes, but not the cords of his own lusts. He burned up the crops of others, and lost the fruit of his own virtue when burning with the flame enkindled by a single woman” (Ambros. Apol. ii., David. c. iii.—cited from Keil & Delitzsch’s Commentary on Judges 16). RT

UNITY AND DEFEAT

02 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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immigration, Judges, planned parenthood, unity

Simply because there is unity of purpose does not mean the purpose is right. A great many people believe there is unity in promoting Planned Parenthood so a woman can have the right to an abortion; some think there is unity in opposing particulars of the immigration debate; in either case, the unity associated in these agendas does not make for either one (or any other) to be right. This approach was taken in Judges 20 when there was unity of purpose with regard to the moral outrage committed against the people of Israel (20:2, 11, 14), and a woman in particular. Just as the Lord defeated those who were unified in purpose, the Lord will defeat any and all those agendas that are contrary to His purposes. Unity of purpose is good, but God is right. RT

Feelings Are Powerful

28 Wednesday Aug 2013

Posted by Ron Thomas in Uncategorized

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Tags

false religion, feelings, Judges, syncretism

The feelings of a person can be a powerful influence upon the direction taken in life. For instance, in Judges 17:13, the patriarch of the house was sure of himself when he said: “Then Micah said, ‘Now I know that the LORD will be good to me, since I have a Levite as priest!’” Now, take note that the man said that he knew the Lord would bless him as a result of the Levite living with him and now in his employ. How could Micah know that when, earlier in the chapter, he was guilty of stealing and making an idol? The answer was within himself; in other words, he convinced himself he was right, and no matter how much another set forth to persuade him to think differently, there was no convincing him otherwise. Feelings are powerful, but they are, often times, mistaken. Let us be on guard regarding them and the direction our lives take. RT

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